Pedro Carvalho (fighter)

Pedro Carvalho
Born Pedro Carvalho
8 June 1995
Guimarães, Braga District, Portugal
Other names The Game
Nationality Portuguese
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight 145 lb (66 kg; 10 st 5 lb)
Division Featherweight
Lightweight
Reach 70 in (178 cm)
Style Kickboxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Stance Southpaw
Fighting out of Dublin, Ireland
Team SBG Ireland
Rank Purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under John Kavanagh
Years active 2012–present
Mixed martial arts record
Total 21
Wins 13
By knockout 2
By submission 6
By decision 5
Losses 8
By knockout 3
By submission 1
By decision 3
By disqualification 1
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog

Pedro Carvalho (born 8 June 1995), is a Portuguese mixed martial artist currently competing in the Featherweight division of Bellator MMA. As of December 8, 2023, he is #6 in the Bellator Featherweight Rankings.

Background

Carvalho was born in Guimarães, a town in the Braga District of Portugal, with his father abandoning the family three months after his birth. At the age of 12, he decided to become a MMA fighter after seeing UFC ads on TV, even tho there was not an advanced MMA scene in the country at the time. He began training soon after at the gym of Portuguese MMA pioneer, Rafael Silva. Prior to signing with Bellator, Carvalho worked in a factory and also did custodial work for a hospital while fighting on the regional circuit in Portugal, working to save enough money to move to Ireland to train with SBG to help his MMA career take off.

Mixed martial arts career

Carvalho made his professional mixed martial arts debut in September 2012 after turning 17, fighting on the regional scene in Portugal. His first fight came against Edi Vicente, a fight Carvalho won via first-round submission. Carvalho went 7–3 in his career before finally signing with Bellator MMA in 2018.

Bellator MMA

After getting signed to Bellator, Carvalho made his promotional debut against Daniel Crawford at Bellator 200 on 25 May 2018. He won the bout via split decision.

Carvalho next faced Luca Vitali on 1 December 2018 at Bellator 211. He won via guillotine submission just 43 seconds into the first round.

Carvalho faced Bellator veteran Derek Campos on 4 May 2019 at Bellator Birmingham. He was victorious via first-round technical knockout.

After going 3–0 in the promotion, Carvalho entered the Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix next. In the opening round, Carvalho faced Sam Sicilia at Bellator 226 on 7 September 2019. Carvalho was victorious via first round submission.

In the quarterfinal round of the tournament, Carvalho was expected to face Patrício Freire for the Bellator Featherweight World Championship at Bellator 241 on 13 March 2020. However, the event was cancelled and the bout was put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The bout will now take place at Bellator 252 on 12 November. Carvalho lost the fight via knockout in the first round.

Carvalho faced Jay Jay Wilson on April 16, 2021, at Bellator 257. At the weigh-ins, Jay Jay Wilson missed weight by .75 pounds and was fined 20% of his purse. He lost the bout a minute into the second round, getting dropped by a spinning backfist and then ground and pound.

Carvalho faced Daniel Weichel at Bellator 270 on November 5, 2021. He won the bout via unanimous decision.

Carvalho was scheduled to face Khasan Askhabov on May 6, 2022, at Bellator 280. However, due to undisclosed reasons, Askhabov was forced to pull out and was replaced by promotional newcomer Piotr Niedzielski. He lost the close bout via split decision.

Carvalho faced Mads Burnell on September 23, 2022, at Bellator 285. He won the bout via unanimous decision.

Carvalho faced Jeremy Kennedy on February 25, 2023, at Bellator 291. He lost the fight by unanimous decision.

Carvalho faced Aaron Pico on September 23, 2023 at Bellator 299. He lost the fight via ground and pound TKO in the first round.

Championships and accomplishments

  • Cage Legacy Fighting Championship
    • CLFC Lightweight Championship (One time)

Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown
21 matches 13 wins 8 losses
By knockout 2 3
By submission 6 1
By decision 5 3
By disqualification 0 1
Res. Record Opponent Method Event Date Round Time Location Notes
Loss 13–8 Aaron Pico TKO (punches) Bellator 299 September 23, 2023 1 3:05 Dublin, Ireland
Loss 13–7 Jeremy Kennedy Decision (unanimous) Bellator 291 February 25, 2023 3 5:00 Dublin, Ireland
Win 13–6 Mads Burnell Decision (unanimous) Bellator 285 September 23, 2022 3 5:00 Dublin, Ireland
Loss 12–6 Piotr Niedzielski Decision (split) Bellator 280 May 6, 2022 3 5:00 Paris, France
Win 12–5 Daniel Weichel Decision (unanimous) Bellator 270 November 5, 2021 3 5:00 Dublin, Ireland
Loss 11–5 Jay Jay Wilson TKO (punches) Bellator 257 April 16, 2021 2 0:53 Uncasville, Connecticut, United States Catchweight (146.75 lb) bout; Wilson missed weight.
Loss 11–4 Patrício Freire KO (punches) Bellator 252 November 12, 2020 1 2:10 Uncasville, Connecticut, United States Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix Quarterfinal. For the Bellator Featherweight World Championship.
Win 11–3 Sam Sicilia Submission (face crank) Bellator 226 7 September 2019 2 1:56 San Jose, California, United States Return to Featherweight. Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix Opening Round.
Win 10–3 Derek Campos TKO (punches) Bellator Birmingham 4 May 2019 1 2:02 Birmingham, England
Win 9–3 Luca Vitali Submission (guillotine choke) Bellator 211 1 December 2018 1 0:43 Genoa, Italy Return to Lightweight.
Win 8–3 Daniel Crawford Decision (split) Bellator 200 25 May 2018 3 5:00 London, England Featherweight debut.
Win 7–3 Ibragim Kantaev Decision (unanimous) CLFC 7 10 March 2018 3 5:00 Drogheda, Ireland Won the CLFC Lightweight Championship.
Win 6–3 Jeanderson Castro Submission (armbar) CLFC 4: Halloween Havoc 29 October 2017 1 N/A Drogheda, Ireland
Loss 5–3 Adenir Araujo Decision (unanimous) International Pro Combat 8 16 November 2015 3 5:00 Estoril, Portugal
Loss 5–2 Wisma Lima DQ (knee to downed opponent) Pro MMA League 3 20 June 2015 N/A N/A Centro Region, Portugal
Win 5–1 Paulo Fonseca Submission Cage Fighters Challengers 3 31 January 2015 1 1:36 Matosinhos, Portugal
Win 4–1 Patrick Fernandes TKO (head kick and punches) MMA Maranus 2014 8 November 2014 1 1:42 Amarante, Portugal
Win 3–1 Bruno Borges Decision (split) Invictus Pro MMA League 1 27 July 2014 3 5:00 Porto, Portugal
Loss 2–1 Artur Lemos Submission (rear-naked choke) CF Cage Fighters 3 28 July 2013 1 3:25 Matosinhos, Portugal
Win 2–0 Luis Veracruz Submission (rear-naked choke) Showfight 14 1 June 2013 1 2:59 Estoril, Portugal
Win 1–0 Edi Vicente Submission (rear-naked choke) WUFC 2012 Second Round 15 September 2012 1 N/A Viseu, Portugal

See also